Traction device



May 28, 1968 J. H. HARDY TRACTION DEVICE Filed July 23, 1965 INVENTOR.

JAMES H. HARDY ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,385,292 TRACTION DEVICE James H. Hardy, 85 Duncaster Road, Hartford, Conn. 06902 Filed July 23, 1965, Ser. No. 474,382 6 Claims. (Cl. 12S-84) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A foot engaging leg-traction-clamp and foot support adapted to simultaneously clamp the foot over a large area of the ankle and to exert a traction force over the area so clamped, and to support the foot under the ankle and heel so that the forces applied to the foot are substantially uniform.

This invention relates to a device for applying traction to a limb and more particularly to a self-clamping leg traction unit.

Prior art traction devices usually wrap completely around the limb or rely on adhesion of the device to the skin. Such devices require constant changing or checking. They may become loose or shift in such a way as to restrict the circulation of blood or cause skin irritation.

IAlso other prior art leg traction devices, unless provided with elaborate support frames, either permit or force the heel into the bed resulting in irritation or possible ulceration.

Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved traction device that applies traction force uniformly to t-he lower leg while supporting and protecting the heel, that does not irritate the skin, that permits easy observation of the leg, and that does not impair circulation.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a self-clamping and self-adjusting limb traction device that applies traction force uniformly over a large area of a limb without impeding blood circulation in the limb.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a unit traction device that is of simple and inexpensive construction and may be correctly employed without special training yet may be cleaned and reused, or discarded. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description.

A preferred illustrated embodiment of the invention is .shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a side view in perspective illustrating the traction device in use;

FIG. 2 is a side View in perspective showing the traction when not in use;

FIG. 3 is a section in elevation taken at lines 3 3 of FIG. 2 showing the tension strap guide means.

lThis new and improved traction device comprises an upper pad and a lower pad 11. Each pad is provided with a pair of guide means 12, shown here as loops, pivotabiy attached to the pads by rivets y13: at the longitudinal edges of the pads. The pads are normally flat, as shown in FIG. 2, e-ach pad has a backing 14 and an interface 15. When tension is applied to the guide means 112 the pads con-form to the curvature of the portion of the limb to Iwhich the pad is applied.

Each interface 1'5 is made of a compressible porous sponge-like material sufciently resilient to make complete contact with the limb when pressed radially inwar/.ily by the flexible backing. Preferably the backing has sufficient tension strength to resist elongation when`a tension force is applied to the guide means, although a 3,385,292 Patented May 28, 1968 ICC slight amount of deformation may ai-d in conforming the pads to the contour of the limb.

It is preferred that the interface material is porous enough to permit some air circulation even when compressed `and in use. Air circulation may be enhanced by providing a porous plastic or leather backing 14, and in the event additional air circulation is required and/or the cement layer 16 is non-porous, the backing and/or interface may be perforated. An interface material that is porous and compressible and yet strong in tension would permit the elimination of a separate backing 14. However, in the embodiment shown the backing 14 forms a wide band exerting hoop tension forces radially inwardly upon the substantially thick interface 15. Being substantially thick the interface material exerts little or no circumferential force upon the limb and distributes the axial aligned traction forces substantially uniformly over the entire area' of the pad.

Upper pad 101 is shown applied over the curvature of the dorsum of the foot. FIG. 1 illustrates the size of a pad relative to a foot that has been found to produce excellent results in actual practice. While it is apparent that a larger pad Would reduce the force per unit area acting on the skin, it is preferred that the pads do not completely wrap around the limb and inhibit blood circulation. In extreme cases additional length of pad could -be .beneficial so long as means for distributing the cornpressive forces uniformly are provided.

Lower pad 1'1 is shown applied over the curvature of the Achilles tendon area 17 and extends beneath the oscalcis 18. The heel is thus supported by the traction device, virtually eliminating any frictional rubbing of the surface of the limb, especially the heel.

Two tension straps 19 and 20 are connected by their loose ends to tension means, shown here as a spreader bar 21 connected to a traction cord 22 looped over a pulley 23 and attached to a weight 24. Forces applied to the bar 2:1 are equally distributed to the tension `straps 19 and 20. Tension force applied to the tension straps cause the guide means 12 to pivot automatically and apply the correct clamping force to each of the pads F10 and 11. It is preferred that the tension straps 19 and '20 have little vor no friction loss in the guide means, and that the clamping force be a function of the tension strap angle at the guide means.

In actual practice the pads may be placed in an approximate position by the patient himself, and if necessary can be applied over clothing or a shoe. Once applied over the limb the pads will adjust themselves by application of a traction force, providing self-clamping and uniform compression in the pad.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the inventive concept here presented provides a self-clamping and self- -adjusting unit, comprising two flexible semi-rigid pads which cover a portion of a limb and provide maximum patient comfort as well as maximum control in applying both tension and compression to the skin surface. It will be understood that changes and modifications and/or the use of equivalents may be resorted to without departing from the invention which is only limited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for applying traction force to a limb of a patient, comprising, a first substantially llat flexible bottom pad having a first plastic backing, a resilient face material attached to said plastic backing, and a rst pair of guide loops pivctably attached to said first plastic backing; a second substantially ilat flexible top pad having, a second plastic backing, a resilient face material attached to said plastic backing, and a second pair of guide loops pivotably attached to said second plastic backing; 'a pair of flexible straps each being iltted through one of said first and Isaid second pair of guide loops, and a draw bar connected to the ends of said pair of exi-ble straps and adapted to apply tension forces thereto suicient to cause said plastic backing to curve around and lit the contour of said limb whereby the limb is clamped by said resilient face material due to tension forces in said tlexible straps.

2. A device for applying traction according to claim 1, wherein said resilient backing material on said bottom pad is substantially longer than said top pad and elongated to provide a limb support portion adapted to support the weight of said limb.

3. A device for applying traction according to claim 1, wherein said resilient face materials have a large cellular porous structure to permit air circulation to said limb.

4. A device for applying traction according to claim 3, wherein said plastic backings are porous to aid in air circulation.

5. A foot engaging leg-traction-clamp, comprising, a flexible bottom pad having a portion adapted to be tted over the Achilles tendon area, and a connected portion for extending beneath the oscalcis; a exible top pad adapted to lbe fitted over the dorsum of the foot; a pair of bottom lguides on the longitudinal edges of the bottom pad opposite the dorsum of the foot; a pair of top guides on the longitudinal edges of the top pad opposite the dorsum of the foot, pressure means including, a tension strap connected through one of said botttom guides and one of said top guides on the same side of each pad, and a second tension strap connected through one of said bottom `guides and one of said top guides on the other side of each pad, said pressure means being adapted to exert simultaneously a substantially uniform clamping force over the area covered by said pads and a tension force on said leg, said Achilles tendon area and said oscalcis area being substantially uniformly supported by said bottom flexible pad.

6. A foot engaging leg-traction-clamp as set forth in claim 5, wherein said bottom pad and said top pad comprise a flexible backing of high tension strength and connected thereto a resilient porous material of low compression strength whereby tension applied to said pads by said tension straps is suicient to compress said resilient porous material and distribute the compression load uniformly, but said tension Iapplied is insuicient to cause elongation of said ilexible backing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,642,158 `9/1927 -Kubista 128--71 1,837,037 12/1931 Gillberg 128-71 3,046,980 7/1962. Moore et al. 128-75 3,238,936 3/1966 Siedentop 128--71 XR RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

R. L. FRANKS, Examiner.

J. W. HINEY, Assistant Examiner. 

